Zipit Z2 Tutorial - Flashing and installing from Stock Z2 to audio, fluxbox, mouse emulator and more

Information re-posted from www.hunterdavis.com . I walk you through the process of flashing a stock Z2 to the newest linux kernel and aliosa27 userland. Mp3 (alsa)audio, fluxbox, mouse emulator demonstrated.

For those following along at home, the required setup artifacts are below. You will need * Your zipit z2 * A linux computer with an internet connection (to download the packages below) and gparted installed\n * A microSD card

Do you have everything ready? Lets get to it, 1. Head over to http://sourceforge.net/projects/openzipit and downloaded the autoflasher 2. Download Aliosa27s new kernel image and userland 3. Grab the latest mouse emu 4. Using Gparted, Format your microSD to a fat16 partition (I did 300 megs but you really need much less than 100 5. Extract the autoflasher to the fat16 partition 6. (as root)Extract the kernel + userland image somewhere on your pc 7. From the extracted files, copy out the ./bin/zImage-2.6.29 to the root of your microSD as kernel.bin 8. Boot the Z2 and allow it to flash and reboot to the new Linux logo 9. This will also make a copy of your original kernel and wifi firmware, copy them off the microSD somewhere safe 10. Using Gparted, Format the microSD into 2 new partitions, ext2 (the majority of the card) and swap (the remaining 256 megs) 11. Rename and copy the wifi firmware back to the Z2 as described at sourceforge

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• z2
• zipit
• flashing
• kernel
• linux
• emulator
• hacking
• mp3
• audio

[huntergdavis]

Perhaps... That model sunon is expecting 5V and the Z2 battery is 3.7, but it really depends on the construction of the blower if it will run on the lower voltage.

[C4ptainNuggetS]

@huntergdavis The PhysDisk GUI don't work on my 4GB card. I tried with the 2GB image, it writes and stop before the end. I don't know what to do now..

[huntergdavis]

@C4ptainNuggetS You can use DD for windows, or load up a linux live CD and use that too.

[huntergdavis]

@sonofwang you did not brick it, you just need to put the userland image on a microSD.

@theappleguy581 you need to make sure your wireless module is loading on startup as well as make sure if the mouse emulator is running you've pressed the smiley face

[huntergdavis]

Probably, yes

[Intanius]

@huntergdavis

I have 3 of these (2 that i successfully flashed another that i bricked i only paid $10 a piece so i don't really care plus i got a spare battery) any ways the two that work the microsd cards seem to over heat i was wondering if a sunon B0503AFB2-8(available on ebay) would be able to run off the zipit battery.

[sonofwang]

Hey Hunter, I like your Blog and videos. It's cool that you are so responsive to questions. I was hoping you could answer one for me. I performed the first couple steps in a tutorial. Autoflash with kernel.bin. but when I turn the zipit on without a sd card in, the penguin shows but not the zipit logo. I'm afraid I bricked it. Do you know?

[Intanius]

will 16gb cards work

[poohspumpkin]

lol.. wow. computer geekiness is kind of a turn on. :p come fix my electronics any day!